Razorbacks ready for Regional

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor leads the No. 11 University of Arkansas women’s golf team into postseason action at the 2011 NCAA Central Regional Championship in South Bend, Ind., at Warren Golf Course this week.

The Razorbacks had a practice round in the 35-degree temperatures at the Notre Dame-hosted event Wednesday and cool conditions and some rain are in the forecast for the three-day event.

"The postseason is what we build for," Estes-Taylor said. "The Notre Dame course fits us well and we have seen several teams in the field. We know the golf course and I think it sets up nice for us. It is somewhat similar to Blessings and that gives us some insight into the course."

The Razorbacks are gunning to win the program’s first NCAA Regional title but a top eight finish will advance Arkansas into the NCAA Championship field which consists of eight teams from each of the three Regional sights.

"We have a team that is capable of winning," Estes-Taylor said. "We are going into this event with that goal. Kelli (Shean) and Emily (Tubert) are contenders for medalist honors. Emily played this course something like 11 times in nine days last summer when she won the Public Links Championship and that really gives her an advantage."

In addition to Shean and Tubert, the Razorbacks traveled senior Corinna Rees, sophomore Victoria Vela and redshirt freshman Emma Lavy.

UCLA leads the 24-team field as the top seed in this regional. Duke and LSU are two and three-seeds, respectively, followed by the Razorbacks who are a four-seed. The top 10 include Wake Forest, Texas who won the Big 12 title, Tulane, Stanford, Big East winner and host Notre Dame and Ohio State.